Artist and muso Reg Mombassa to put his wacky signature on Sydney New ... - The Daily Telegraph

Artist Reg Mombassa. Picture. Stephen Cooper

HE's the rocker who made Mambo shirts works of art and put his wacky signature on the 2000 Sydney Olympics Closing Ceremony.

Now Sydney artist Reg Mombassa is unleashing his unique creative vision and humour on the 2013 Sydney New Year's Eve celebrations.

Mr Mombassa, 61, of Glebe, was announced this morning as creative director of Australia's biggest public event which is based around the theme Shine, which reflects Sydney's sun, water and people.

His illustrations for NYE13 will adorn banners, buses and bus-stops across the city in the lead up to the event and will also feature in the much-anticipated and top-secret Bridge Effect, which is revealed at midnight on December 31.

Mr Mombassa, 61, worked with the City of Sydney's NYE team and Imagination Australia to develop the theme and said it was exciting to be working on an event that reached more than one billion people worldwide.

Reg Mombassa's painting called Red Ned in a Stolen Truck, part of exhibition called Ned Kelly Framed in 2003. Picture. Jeff Darmanin

"It has been an interesting and challenging job designing artwork for what is arguably the biggest party in the world," Mr Mombassa said.

"I have used the Sydney Harbour Bridge and the Opera House quite extensively in previous pictures so it was a familiar and attractive proposition to do something based on the harbour.

"Sydney NYE is an inspiring and happy event where people get the opportunity to have a big party and enjoy their city at its best. I hope people enjoy the Shine theme.

Some of the stuff that I do can be mildly confrontational but I have stayed away from that and produced images to suit the occasion, which is a family-friendly and fun-filled event, and it should stay that way."

New Years Eve at Mrs Macquarie's Chair, Sydney fireworks over Sydney harbour Picture: Stephen Cooper

Mr Mombassa's motifs will include a highrise Sydney Opera House and a single "all-seeing eye" to represent the 2013 theme, Shine.

He said the eye motif aims to encourage individualism while also representing Sydneysiders' singular vision to live harmoniously.

"When I thought about the word Shine there seemed to be so many options but in the end I decided to go with the eye," Mr Mombassa said.

"The eyes are the most interesting part of the human face and there is that idea of the eye being the window to the soul, as well as the spiritual aspect of the third eye, from which shines an invisible metaphysical laser beam."

New Years Eve at Mrs Macquarie's Chair, Sydney Picture: Stephen Cooper

Mr Mombassa follows other celebrity creatives who have helped with the event, including last year's creative ambassador Kylie Minogue, who encouraged Sydneysiders to Embrace and the 2011 Creative Headliner designer Marc Newson, who had a Time to Dream theme.

Lord Mayor Clover Moore said Mr Mombassa was admired for his work with Mambo clothing, pop-rock bands Mental as Anything and Dog Trumpet, as well as the 2000 Sydney Olympics Closing Ceremony.

"Reg is one of Australia's greatest living artists and cultural exports who cleverly combines thoughtful insights with a signature irreverence, which reflects our life and culture," the Lord Mayor said.

"His work is bold and colourful with an absurdist humour that brings a smile to people's faces, so his unique vision is a perfect match for our biggest event.

10/02/1997 PIRATE: New Mambo design angled at /MP Pauline Hanson by Reg Mombassa. Art Pic. Nick Cubbin

"It will be fantastic to see his striking designs across Sydney and I can't wait to see his rope-light Bridge Effect during the fireworks displays."

Mr Mombassa has spent the past six months working on drawings to reflect the Shine theme, as well as four panoramic works featuring his interpretation of Sydney's villages.

Sydneysiders have the opportunity to see these works up close at Mr Mombassa's new exhibition, Hallucinatory Anthropomorphism Semi-Abstract Paraphysical Manifestations of the Collective Unconscious, which opens on Wednesday, June 19, at Watters Gallery, 109 Riley Street, East Sydney. The exhibition runs until Saturday July 6.

The annual New Year's event attracts about 1.6 million people to the Sydney Harbour foreshore, while about 2.6 million people watch the fireworks displays on television.

New Year's Eve is also Sydney's top economic event, generating about $156 million for the local economy.

For more information, visit sydneynewyearseve.com

Twitter: #NYESYD